Also, he has a decent shot at the triple crown (again).
― Van Horn Street, Monday, 15 September 2014 17:32 (nine years ago) link
With the Cubs crumbling, Kershaw is set to be the first NL player since WWII to win 20 in less than 30, I know wins are dumb and whatnot but that seems significant enough.
― Van Horn Street, Friday, 19 September 2014 18:54 (nine years ago) link
6-3 Dodgers after one inning in Chicago!
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Friday, 19 September 2014 19:38 (nine years ago) link
how did you arrange Edwin's return?
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Friday, 19 September 2014 20:23 (nine years ago) link
Ha, Kershaw vs Jackson -- biggest pitching mismatch of the 21st century thus far?
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Friday, 19 September 2014 20:37 (nine years ago) link
So that was Kershaw's second-worst outing of the year, maybe?
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Friday, 19 September 2014 21:03 (nine years ago) link
I was going to say that, after that back-and-forth from a couple of days ago, he of course goes out today and picks up his first unimpressive win of the year--first time where run support clearly made a difference. It's like he's mocking my most excellent research.
― clemenza, Friday, 19 September 2014 23:06 (nine years ago) link
his 20th win in his 26th start. ridic.
― LIKE If you are against racism (omar little), Friday, 19 September 2014 23:37 (nine years ago) link
uhhh Kershaw just destroyed the wins theory today, even clemenza noticed.
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 September 2014 00:09 (nine years ago) link
cheap wins are a thing, tough losses are a thing (Braves starters demonstrating the hell out of that this year), everybody drop your guns or the kid gets it
― Malibu Stasi (WilliamC), Saturday, 20 September 2014 00:24 (nine years ago) link
it doesn't prove his mastery of all creation, but it *is* both rare and ridiculous
― mookieproof, Saturday, 20 September 2014 00:26 (nine years ago) link
In the end isn't every number just made up anyway, makes u think
― LIKE If you are against racism (omar little), Saturday, 20 September 2014 05:34 (nine years ago) link
Yesterday didn't destroy didn't destroy the wins theory. There was no theory in the first place, just the idea that Kershaw's 19-3 record, in this specific instance, did not exaggerate his excellence. Today, Kershaw's 20-3 record does not exaggerate his excellence.
― clemenza, Saturday, 20 September 2014 13:03 (nine years ago) link
on his triple he looked like a horse galloping out of a burning barn
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 September 2014 04:09 (nine years ago) link
We all know W-L records can be misleading, but when people quote run support, do they account for the fact that that can be misleading too? Nine runs were scored for Kershaw while he was the pitcher of record last night, so his average run support will be adjusted accordingly. What that doesn't tell you is that a) seven of those runs were superfluous, and b) the game was still 1-1 going into the bottom of the sixth.
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 September 2014 12:12 (nine years ago) link
SweetSpot's David Schoenfield, who I think is very good and fairly mainstream: "Let's not make the MVP debate more complicated than it needs to be: Clayton Kershaw is the best, and most valuable, player in the National League. There shouldn't really need to be a debate."
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 September 2014 19:38 (nine years ago) link
I wouldn't go that far--there's a debate there; LuCroy's been great, Stanton was right there until the injury (perhaps leading), there's McCutchen and Rendon--but I do agree with the middle part of that quote.
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 September 2014 19:42 (nine years ago) link
McCutchen will def be the focus of the "not enough innings" crowd now, but meh who cares
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 September 2014 19:47 (nine years ago) link
In those narrative factors ILB hates--that was the first word I learned on ILB: "narrative"--I'd say McCutchen benefits from the admirable-superstar factor, and is hurt by the won-one-already factor. So a wash.
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 September 2014 21:12 (nine years ago) link
unless he gets 3 hits a day in the remaining games and the Bucs win the Central
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 September 2014 21:23 (nine years ago) link
i think it's mostly kershaw vs giancarlo now, tho both seem way too unconventional to be frontrunners
― linda cardellini (zachlyon), Thursday, 25 September 2014 21:26 (nine years ago) link
what's unconventional about Stanton?
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 25 September 2014 21:43 (nine years ago) link
Stanton is almost a too-trad candidate, but i think the writers don't want to be perceived as giving him any sort of pity vote, and at 24 they think he can improve on 37hr 105rbi when he's with the Yankees, Red Sox or Dodgers.
now can we bail on awards and anticipate Kershaw's LDS start?
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 September 2014 21:53 (nine years ago) link
as it stands it'll probably be Kershaw vs Wainwright.
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 25 September 2014 21:56 (nine years ago) link
Um...he'll pitch well? There's so much more room to wander around when it comes to award talk.
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 September 2014 21:56 (nine years ago) link
By the way, if McCutchen did come up with 12 more hits--he's the only guy left who's candidacy isn't frozen--and the Pirates caught the Cards, I think you'd have a very close vote, and I'm not sure who'd win.
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 September 2014 22:00 (nine years ago) link
stanton is super-unconventional. incomplete season on a losing team. after the trout/cabrera war of 2012 in which the losing team argument was used 50 million times, passionately, you'd think they wouldn't just let a guy slip in unless it's a season for the ages. he's missing less time than kershaw but missing it at the end is a lot more noticeable than missing it at the beginning.
― linda cardellini (zachlyon), Thursday, 25 September 2014 22:04 (nine years ago) link
er, 2012 wasn't a losing team argument but literally a losing out on the playoffs argument, jfc
― linda cardellini (zachlyon), Thursday, 25 September 2014 22:05 (nine years ago) link
I really don't get the playoff contention argument yeah. Also, Stanton missed (almost) as many games as McCutchen and Rendon, Lucroy is a catcher, and when it comes to WAR they all had similar numbers. What an odd season in that regard.
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 25 September 2014 22:10 (nine years ago) link
yeah, i thought stanton missed more than he had.
but if they aren't willing to vote for mike trout's amazing 2012 because the angels had only 89 wins, it'd be a bit surprising if stanton got in with a less impressive year on a team that didn't even get to .500. it's silly. of course the playoffs thing was mostly just an excuse in 2012 but still. i've already heard the argument that stanton deserves it because the marlins were "closer to contending than anyone thought" which, rmde. poor, poor trout, my heart weeps for thee etc
kershaw had a season for the ages but it seems equally unconventional voting for a pitcher who missed 6 starts. maybe the most unconventional win since eck? still rooting for him but it wouldn't surprise me if cutch sneaks in for tradition's sake.
― linda cardellini (zachlyon), Thursday, 25 September 2014 22:20 (nine years ago) link
btw kershaw has 0.4/0.5 batting fWAR/rWAR which everyone always forgets about
― linda cardellini (zachlyon), Thursday, 25 September 2014 22:22 (nine years ago) link
watching a video of Bumgarner two grand slams*
wait was that you said?
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 25 September 2014 22:28 (nine years ago) link
He has a 3.72 ERA in 17 starts vs people wearing Cardinal laundry
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Friday, 3 October 2014 15:05 (nine years ago) link
First time ever a guy's given up seven runs in back-to-back post-season starts. He has out-Joaquined Joaquin.
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/52236/that-happened-eight-runs-off-kershaw
― clemenza, Saturday, 4 October 2014 18:15 (nine years ago) link
Talk about a faulty memory; I knew Andujar didn't start game 7 of the '85 Series, but amazingly, he only pitched to two batters:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA198510270.shtml
I think many people, like me, associate that meltdown with Andujar. I guess what we're remembering is the way he flipped out.
― clemenza, Saturday, 4 October 2014 18:55 (nine years ago) link
Russell Carleton: The Cardinals Do Not Own Clayton Kershaw
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=24798
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Monday, 6 October 2014 12:07 (nine years ago) link
IIRC, in G6 of the NLCS last year there were a lot of soft hits and balls that fell just in front of the outfielders. The comeback on Friday wasn't luck -- he made bad pitches and the Cards were ringing line drives all over the place.
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Monday, 6 October 2014 15:27 (nine years ago) link
wouldn't argue with that, but it was, as they say, just one start.
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Monday, 6 October 2014 15:35 (nine years ago) link
healthy!
https://twitter.com/charliewiddoes/status/530475272249044992
― things lose meaning over time (Dr Morbius), Friday, 7 November 2014 13:39 (nine years ago) link
are those cookies? if so you earned em buddy, we still luh you
― ichabron crames (slothroprhymes), Friday, 7 November 2014 16:55 (nine years ago) link
Ah, Facebook...Koufax vs. Kershaw thread on a discussion group, and it's essentially me on one side(about equal during the regular season, obvious edge to Koufax in the postseason) and 20 other people who believe that it's not even close because 1) Koufax never needed to hand it over to a closer (ignoring that that's simply the way the game was structured then), 2) Kershaw's postseason troubles reveal some deep flaw within him (ignoring that we're basically talking about two bad innings), and 3) Kershaw has to do it for another four or five seasons before the question's even worth addressing (ignoring that Kershaw's great run is almost as long as Koufax's right now). Maddening.
― clemenza, Sunday, 18 January 2015 23:51 (nine years ago) link
ah, clemenza
― mookieproof, Monday, 19 January 2015 04:12 (nine years ago) link
Best FIP, Pitchers Age 21 to 26 seasons, minimum 1000 IP, 1950 - present:
Tom Seaver: 2.58Clayton Kershaw 2.61Sam McDowell 2.62Bert Blyleven 2.68Roger Clemens 2.79
so yeah, he's doing pretty well so far!
― ♪♫_\o/_♫♪ (Karl Malone), Thursday, 22 January 2015 00:20 (nine years ago) link
Of the top 30, I count 11 in the HOF; add Clemens, that would be 12. Kershaw will probably make 13 down the road (except the list will be different then). Anyway, fewer than half. I bet a comparable position player list based on WAR or OPS+ or whatever, at least two-thirds would be in or going into the Hall of Fame.
Pitchers seem to be fragile.
― clemenza, Thursday, 22 January 2015 03:45 (nine years ago) link
McDowell's stats between 1965 and and 1970 are rather nuts. Going from 8.2 FWAR to 2.7 to 7.2 again.
― Van Horn Street, Saturday, 24 January 2015 06:06 (nine years ago) link
Drinking man.
― clemenza, Saturday, 24 January 2015 19:16 (nine years ago) link
(Something I didn't know, if true. According to Wikipedia, "The character of Sam Malone, the alcoholic ex-Red Sox pitcher portrayed by Emmy Award winning actor Ted Danson in the television program Cheers, was based on the baseball life of McDowell.")
― clemenza, Saturday, 24 January 2015 19:18 (nine years ago) link
It's Kershaw Day at BP; there are about ten free articles to read. Zachary Levine:
Kershaw is, according to the PECOTA projections, supposed to be the best pitcher in baseball this year. This is hardly a surprise. He was the best pitcher in baseball last year. By ERA+, he’s also been the best pitcher in baseball over the last two years, the last three years, the last four years, the last five years, the last six years, the last seven years, and with enough innings to qualify, the seven-year veteran has been the best pitcher in baseball over the last eight years.
The projection is something pretty familiar for Kershaw: A 2.23 ERA, 237 strikeouts in 224 innings, a 19-9 win-loss record—numbers that would give him another Cy Young Award should he be in the running against pretty much anybody other than 2014 Kershaw. The 5.8 WARP would fit right in within 0.3 wins of each of his three best seasons and a small regression from last year’s performance.
We know, though, that this is just a single line reading of what’s really a (multidimensional) continuum of possible outcomes. Specifically, it’s the median. He’s 50-50 to be above this point in each of the metrics, and he’s 50-50 to be below.
Whereas the median projection looks downright mundane given what we’re used to from Kershaw, it was the tail—and not even the extreme tail—that stood out. Kershaw’s 90th percentile projection is almost unfathomable. The raws benefit from Dodger Stadium and for it always taking a while to adjust our eyes to the light of a new run-scoring environment, but the adjusted stats tell you it isn’t just your eyes. A 1.46 ERA, the lowest since Bob Gibson in 1968 and the second-lowest of the live-ball era. An 8.8 WARP, behind only 1999 Pedro Martinez as far as seasons in the WARP time (1950-present).
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=25736
― touch of a love-starved cobra (Dr Morbius), Monday, 9 March 2015 16:50 (nine years ago) link
the craziest thing to me about kershaw is he came up with two pitches - a sick fastball and a hammer curve.. the curve had so much movement sometimes the umps weren't calling it a strike, so he responds by developing a slider that has become one of the best in the game.. if he can perfect his change that he only throws like 5 times a game he can stretch his career out forever.
― panettone for the painfully alone (mayor jingleberries), Monday, 9 March 2015 20:15 (nine years ago) link
Very comparable to Seaver through 1971 (his greatest all-around year, though not as famous as '69)--one inning apart, for starters:
Seaver: 95-54, 1379.1 IP, 7.1 H/9, 1.045 WHIP, 3.28 K/BB, 2.34 ERA, 149 ERA+, 35.9 WAR
Kershaw: 98-49, 1378.1 IP, 6.8 H/9, 1.059 WHIP, 3.41 K/BB, 2.48 ERA, 151 ERA+, 39.7 WAR
Both in pitcher-friendly parks (Dodger Stadium more so, I think), both in pitcher-friendly eras (Seaver's definitely more so, although 1970 was a big hitter's year), both 26.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 10 March 2015 01:43 (nine years ago) link